


and far away

by LadyLarkFrand (orphan_account)



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Anniversaries, Bitter-sweet, Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Mentions of Canon-Character Death, Mentions of main character death, Post-Dawn, Promnis - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-09-25 22:06:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17129585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/LadyLarkFrand
Summary: A year since the dawn returned.  A year since Ignis and Prompto left Insomnia. A year of traveling the world as no one and nothing other than themselves, and yet they've ended up in Lestallum. Winter's gripping the world and honestly, Prompto didn't expect a phone-call from an old friend to change his view of the day - but there he was, desperately wanting to be remembered.





	and far away

**Author's Note:**

  * For [roadsoftrial](https://archiveofourown.org/users/roadsoftrial/gifts).



> For roadsoftrials, for the 2018 FFXV Holiday Gift Exchange. The prompt was that Ignis and Prompto leave everything behind to travel the world, and for a bit of bittersweetness via verse-one's ending. I hope you like it, I know this thing is an obnoxious monster, but I loved writing it and figuring out where I wanted it to go. I hope you have a great holiday!

In the cold winter-sunlight that filtered through the curtains of their borrowed bedroom, Ignis’ skin still didn’t lose it’s warm flush of color. The sunlight lit up the tiny strands of Ignis' hair that were lighter, tiny natural highlights that were probably Prompto's second favorite thing about the man's hair when it was styled or otherwise. With his face half-buried in his pillow though, the hair sprawled over the pillow it gave the impression of Ignis' hair being longer than what he normally presented it as. 

He loved it. The low sound of Ignis’ steady breathing, the dull noises of Lestallum already awake and bustling outside their room. He could smell the first hints of fried foods, of vendors calling out their wares and the general chaos that the city was on any given day – even that unusually cold morning. 

Ignis had guessed, when they’d arrived in the region a week ago, that without Titan to maintain the meteor, that it was finally cooling and allowing the world around it to cool with time. It wouldn’t be snowing but the air nipped at the nose when they went out. 

Not that Prompto planned of crawling out of the bed any time soon. He knew he was staring, and that it was weird no matter how long he’d been dating the other man, but he couldn’t tear his gaze away from his lover. The peace of the moment was addictive, and there was something about the clump of hair that fell against Ignis’ face that made him seem younger than he was. 

For a moment Prompto entertained the idea of tangling his fingers among the strands, and the memory of how it felt to tug the long strands, demanding, danced at the edges of his mind as further temptation. Instead he didn't, gaze dropping to his dozing lover's face. The Ring had taken Ignis' sight, left scars that he couldn't easily hide - but there were other things that it hadn't been able to touch. 

Things that Prompto was grateful for every day. With one arm bent, his own head cradled into his palm, Prompto watched Ignis, who for once seemed content to take his time in waking or pretending to do so. It didn't matter, really, it wasn't like they had a boat to catch or anywhere they really needed to be. 

Prompto's fingers traced invisible lines over Ignis' skin, connecting each dark freckle along his lover's shoulder and arm to one another. In truth he was a little jealous of the dark marks. They were nothing like Prompto's own that, after prolonged time in the sun, seemed to only expand and multiply until he was blotchy. 

Ignis' were dark and solitary, beautiful, perfect beauty marks. 

" One day I'm gonna convince you to let me map you out with a pen," he mumbled, running his thumb over the last spot fondly, "like a star-map, make you a real constellation." 

Ignis snorted quietly, but Prompto could see the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth, like he was trying to repress the response of fondness. Prompto pressed a kiss to the sleep-warm skin of his lover's neck, nuzzling against the crook between it and Ignis' shoulder. 

" Going to put me into the sky, are you?" 

Prompto smiled against his hiding spot and nodded, taking note of the way Ignis shivered as his hair brushed over sensitive skin enough to tickle him. 

" Oh yeah," he replied lazily, moved to drape one arm over his lover's side, snuggling closer to him from behind shamelessly hungry for contact, " that way when people make their wishes on the first star of the night - they'll know they come true. It'll be part of the star-maps, legends - everything. " 

That time there was no mistaking the quiet huff of laughter, nor the way that the man reach to tangle their fingers together, thumb brushing over the back of Prompto's hand fondly, repeatedly. They were warm and tangled together in a rumpled bed that was warm and comfortable - and Prompto was going to hate leaving it when the time came. 

" I dare say that was rather cheesy even for you, Prompto." Ignis' words were warm with affection, even as teasing as they were, a smile curving his face warmly even as he refused to even bother with opening his eyes, " Been sneaking those horrendous novels from Gladio again?" He squeezed Prompto's hand, taking the sting out of even an imagined insult. 

" Ouch," Prompto whined, and pressed his cheek against the warmth of the strong shoulder below him, " that was a low, low blow Ignis. A guy makes that mistake _one_ time and he never hears the end of it. " It had been bad. He'd made a gamble - either Gladio was reading a romance novel of disgusting proportions or a historic piece of epic battles and strategy that would have promised a night of sleep without insomnia’s hateful embrace. There'd been a dare, and Prompto’s own pride, ignorance and one deeply scarring Moogle’ing of the phrase ‘turgid length’ later and he was forever marked for prime teasing. 

Ignis tilted his head as if to peer at him, that time his smile not even giving the pretense of trying to hide his amusement, " On that count? Never. " 

Prompto groaned and leaned forward to steal a kiss, a brush of his lips against the older man's. Ignis' hum of delight was a reward, " Bastard," he mumbled without any heat into the kiss, and Ignis twisted in the grip to return the kiss, chaining it with another, and then another.

Ignis was unfairly enjoyable to kiss, and unfairly gifted at it. Though, Prompto would be hard-pressed to deny his favorite kisses were the ones that were tired or sloppy, more human than perfect and they sent a jolt of _wantloveneed_ through him every time. Regardless if they were sloppy or neat, heated or chaste, not a single one conveyed anything less than affection for him and that – that was something special that left a swooping sensation in the pit of his stomach. 

He leaned closer, trying to coax more from his lover. Ignis’ resistance was legendary – but Prompto knew his weakness and that was cute blondes who’s names began with ‘P’s. 

Ignis pulled away briefly, the smug little smile spreading when Prompto grunted a quiet protest at the distance put between them, “Perhaps, but it was never proven,” Ignis returned breathily, one hand landing on Prompto’s neck and sliding upward into his un-styled hair, nails scraping gently over his scalp fondly, “ though an odd number of people _have_ disappeared in the past, if you look carefully enough.” 

The hand didn’t stop petting, and Ignis curled closer, like a warm, basking lure to keep Prompto in the indulgently soft bed. Since the Wall had come down, since the sun had risen again, the trade between Insomnia and the outlaying territories had swelled immensely. Prompto had barely recognized Lestallum’s old hotel rooms, with their newly plush beds and re-done _everything’s_. 

A lot changed in a year, but Prompto hadn’t expected it so quickly. He hadn’t expected things to _move on_ so quickly – and that hurt in its own, special sort of way. It was like a bruise, something he forgot about until he pressed against it and the ache bloomed again. 

Prompto pushed away the thought, and instead focused on the warmth of his lover and the ridiculousness of their conversation, because he’d been told it was terribly rude to ignore someone who was trying to either talk to him _or_ seduce him. " Under mysterious circumstances?" Prompto asked with feigned horror and confusion.

“ Oh yes," his lover returned dryly, tugging gently at his hair as it caught on a snag of small tangles, " terribly mysterious. You should watch yourself Mister Argentum or you'll never be found again either." 

Prompto nuzzled under Ignis' jaw, feather light kisses being left in the wake of his path, " I'd rather watch you," he hummed, " doing something almost as sexy as killing people who know Too Much." The lazy, quietly pleased sigh and Ignis tilting his head to bare his throat to the action was worth the awkward positioning they found themselves in. 

The hand in his hair tightened briefly, almost painfully, in response and Prompto felt a lazy warmth build in his gut, the sort of warmth that could be ignited into a fire that would smolder and burn and entice. Prompto traced a hand along Ignis' side, over sensitive ribs and delighted in the shiver it earned him. Ignis had only gained weight since the sun’s return – no more could Prompto easily feel the other man’s ribs beneath his skin, only hard muscle and warm skin. 

Even he himself could boast such a change in appearance, though he didn’t see quite the same appeal he held for his lover. 

He tilted his head to peer at the other man, meeting blind eyes that held still the smallest hints of green in them. He opened his mouth to say something - something seductive maybe, or something that would convince his lover that maybe staying in bed for another hour wouldn't hurt anyone, let alone them. It wasn't like they hadn't gone to bed an hour early the night before for just that reason. 

Whatever he’d been planning to say flew out of his mind when his phone rang – shrill and demanding from its spot on the night-stand beside the bed. Prompto froze, as if his phone were a motion-sensing monster that would strike him down if it caught wind of him actually being there. Even Ignis fell still behind him, curiously, though Prompto could all but feel the mood dim with every repetition of the ringing. 

“ If I don’t answer what are the chances they’ll call back?” 

Ignis gently patted him, as if bidding the chocobo’s they rode into the wilderness farewell, “ High, if it’s important most likely.” His answer wasn’t encouraging and Prompto reluctantly twisted out of the warmth of the position he’d been in with a groan of regret to snag the phone before it stopped it’s shrieking. 

He had time to glance at the caller’s name before the weight lifted off his shoulders before it doubled down again at an alarming speed. It felt like someone had casted a ‘slow’ spell on him and left him to the mercy of a sabertusk with his scent up it’s nose. Ignis seemed to notice the tension, drawing a comforting hand down his arm, his mood changed from seconds before.

“ Who is it?” 

Prompto hesitated for only a second longer, before he answered the phone, finding stomach sinking to his toes with the action of hitting ‘accept’ on the screen. 

“ Hey big guy,” he answered cheerfully, “ wassup?” 

_” Finally. Though you were just gonna let it ring forever.”_ Gladio grumbled on the other end of the line, and Prompto heard the implied ‘not answer at all’ hidden underneath his words like a quiet anxiety they all felt, _”Figured I’d give you two a call given the date,”_ Gladio’s voice rumbled across the line, and Prompto pressed the speaker on the screen, and the man’s voice filled the room with ease as Prompto re-settled next to Ignis under the dark green, wool blankets, _” hadn’t heard from either of you for a while – wasn’t sure if you’d made it outta Cleigne in one piece.”_

Ignis’s laughter was poorly smothered as he turned to press his face into the pillow, shoulders shaking with helpless mirth, despite the color of his own cheeks rising to match the truly astonishing color of blush that bloomed over Prompto’s cheeks and edged along his throat in mortification. 

“ Hey, it was an accident!” Prompto shot back and lightly smacked Ignis’ shoulder, “ If someone had waited, like, five more minutes it wouldn’t have happened.” 

Gladio grunted in what sounded like pained disgust, feigned for the most part. They could hear the squeak of a chair and Prompto could imagine him leaning back in his seat and settling in for whatever conversation came next, _” Astrals I hope so – I know way too much about what you two get up to already-“_

“ Then drop the subject, Gladiolus,” Ignis interjected smoothly, “ or you’ll risk a replication of the dreaded event.” 

Prompto shot Ignis a look of indescribable horror at the thought. It had been bad enough the one-time Gladio had walked in on them and they’d had to pretend nothing had happened for three excruciating days. Prompto was still trying to get the sound of the man’s mortified voice coming through the phone’s speakers out of his head. 

Getting trapped in a shitty little shed while waiting for a snowstorm to pass over them had been enough of an embarrassment. Having the ex-Shield accidentally find out how they’d stayed warm enough to survive was something he was actively trying to forget had happened. 

Gladio seemed to agree, given the pained noise the big man made in response to the mostly-fake threat. 

_” Anyone ever tell you you’re a ruthless man, Iggy?”_

“ Quite frequently,” Ignis returned, running a hand through his hair as if trying to straighten it reflexively in embarrassment, “ in fact we were discussing just that. “ 

_“ Do I wanna know?”_

Ignis clicked his tongue admonishingly in response. 

“ Have you developed the habit of asking incorrect questions as of late, Gladio, or was there a purpose to your call?” Prompto could hear the sharpness in the words, a warning, the game had run its course and neither of them were in any particular mood to be disturbed by anyone – not even an old friend. 

Gladio’s sigh seemed to fill the room and Prompto swallowed against the anxiety the noise produced. The way Ignis’ long fingers picked at the edge of the comforter implied there was a certain amount of the same anxiety they’d be called back to Insomnia that Prompto felt speeding his own heart up. Gently, Prompto ran his foot along his lover’s calf, gaze darting over Ignis’ face, hungry for any sign of what was running through the other man’s mind. 

There was little. A tightness along his jaw, the furrow of his brow that made Prompto want to soothe it away. His lips were pursed, just a little, as if he were steeling himself for whatever came next. Another job that was to keep them out of the hungry, selfish reach of high-born Lucians or perhaps a plea to come home for someone’s behalf. 

Prompto tapped his fingers lightly along Ignis’ shoulder, an outlet to his anxiety on the thought. Gladio had run a strong smoke-screen and intervention between them and officials when they’d left. He’d made sure they were able to go – and to stay gone. Gave them the positions of unofficial, informal extension of the Lucian court and claimed he received reports of where and what funding and resources were needed. 

It’d been a few weeks since the last call. It’d been mostly peaceful. Prompto was selfish, he didn’t particularly want to say goodbye to the relative quiet. Not even for Gladio. 

_“ Just wanted to wish you two a happy Glacien’s Day,”_ Gladio replied quietly and Prompto ground his teeth together until his jaw ached with it, the back of his eyes stinging unexpectedly with tears that wanted to form in response. There was more hidden beneath his words, as subdued and kind as they’d been said. 

Pain flitted over Ignis’ features, turning nobly-handsome features into the very picture of a tragically wounded hero of old stories. The phone’s case creaked in the grip Ignis held it in, and Prompto could see his lover’s shoulders rise in a single, sharp inhale and fall as he exhaled steadily. 

“ To you as well, Gladio.” Ignis said softly, “ I feel as if we must apologize, we intended to be in Insomnia-“ 

_” No,”_ Gladio cut him off sharply, almost barking the word in his haste, _” I appreciate it, Iggy, but you two left for a damn good reason. I ain’t gonna ask you to come back for this – I got this. I just..”_ he trailed off and Prompto wondered if he was sitting in his apartment with a bottle of whiskey or if he was somewhere more formal – pretending that he hadn’t been elected into an increasingly, alarmingly, official council to govern what was left of Lucis. 

If he’d stolen away twenty minutes to call a pair of old friends and wish them a happy Glacian’s Day. If he’d called to tell them that he missed them. If he called to tell them he hadn’t forgotten – just like they hadn’t forgotten - what they’d lost a year ago on that very day. That he ached the same way they did – if not his own, different ways – for a King who’d they’d seen ascend to his throne as had been their duty. 

_” Just wanted to make sure you two were still kickin’ around,”_ Gladio finished firmly, _“ Iris got worried when that weekly e-mail didn’t show up in her inbox, Prom-pom.”_ he added, clearing his throat forcefully to hide the way it had grown thick with words he’d never say to them – not over the phone and not soberly. 

Prompto forced a regretful noise. Iris hadn’t been the only one worried he was sure, and neither was he sure that she had cared that much about the photos. 

“ Sorry about that, they’re still on the camera at the moment – they turned out great by the way, Ignis could totally be a model is all I’m saying – “ Ignis made a protesting noise that Prompto ignored, “ You can tell her the next set she’ll get to see Niflheim, we’re heading up north next to see what we can see.” 

There was a low noise on the other end of the phone. Exasperation or amusement, Prompto couldn’t tell but it really didn’t matter. North was where they were going – snow and all be damned. Prompto didn’t know what they’d _find_ but he was certain they’d find it and deal with it as it came. 

_” Just be careful is all I’m sayin’,”_ Gladio grunted, _” and let me know if you need some muscle sent your way.”_

Prompto barked a short laugh, not quite amused as he wanted it to sound. 

“ Oooh, good try Gladio but Ignis is _all_ the muscle I need-“ 

Ignis thumped him solidly with the heel of his hand against the back of his head at the comment, as if Ignis hadn’t suggested worse mere minutes ago. Prompto squawked in protest, pinching Ignis’ side in retaliation and the hiss of air between teeth was worth it . He was only a little sorry, and even then, that faded quickly. 

“ Prompto!” 

Prompto only laughed in response, Gladio momentarily forgotten. 

_” On that note, I’m hanging up. Look, don’t make me have to pay the Leville hush-money about noise complaints – that’s all I ask.”_ Gladio grumbled sharply and Prompto was grateful he’d taken the bait that Prompto had offered him. 

“ Happy Glacian’s Day again, ” Ignis chimed in smoothly even as he shot Prompto a flat look that screamed that he knew damn well what the gunman had been attempting, the well-wishes returned mercifully swiftly, and pressed the ‘end’ button with smooth familiarity. 

The hotel room rang loud with silence in the wake of the phone-call. 

“ I can’t believe it’s been an actual year,” Prompto finally said, biting at his own bottom-lip, his teeth scraping familiarly over the skin, “ seems like it’s been longer.” 

Ignis hummed in quiet agreement, before he spoke slowly, feeling out the words as if he were on unfamiliar ground,“ We had ten years to acquaint ourselves with the idea of him being beyond our reach, so in a way it truly has been longer.” 

Prompto couldn’t argue with that, and so he didn’t. He laid there, listened to Ignis breathed and wondered how he’d gotten lucky enough to have earned Ignis’ returned affections in the first place all those years ago. It was wild to think that the thoughts that sent his heart fluttering in joy had once sent it plummeting like a rock to his gut in shame. 

Maybe he’d been lucky that Ignis had been there in the snaking caverns that had led to a naga, who seemed to think he’d do as a baby to her. After-all, if he hadn’t gushed his thankful ‘I love you’ after Ignis had sunk his blade into her head to forestall a nasty bite, he might not have even been there to ponder his own strange, sheer luck. 

Prompto let his gaze wander over Ignis’ face. Over the scars he’d earned from the Ring, the soft laugh-lines that were beginning to bracket his mouth, and Prompto could find none of the guilt over his actions in the past in regard to being with his lover through all of what they had been through. Even so, it felt wrong, on that day of all days, to be filled with a bubbling sort of joy and relaxation. 

“ Do you ever feel guilty?” Prompto asked suddenly and quietly, as if someone were there to overhear his question, “ That we’re happy?” 

Ignis froze at the question, confusion wiped clean from his face into a kinder neutrality as he processed the question. Guilt nipped at Prompto – he shouldn’t have asked, and certainly not to Ignis. He shouldn’t have even kept the subject of Noctis close. He wasn’t the only one who’d lost one of his closest friends. 

Selfish, he thought to himself, he was so damn selfish. 

As if sensing his thoughts, Ignis seemed to come back to himself and turned his face in the direction of Prompto unerringly with a confidence Prompto knew wasn’t as natural as the man made it seem to everyone else. 

Ignis sighed and Prompto let him grab his hand to bring it up to his lips and gently kissed the back of it with a kind squeeze to his hand. There was something about the gesture, careful and calculated and unbearably gentle that made Prompto think that it was also meant to buy Ignis more time to put his thoughts on the matter together. Not that he was going to rush him on it. 

They didn’t exactly talk about Noct – not beyond a casual passing of words or a comment here or there. 

“ I _feel_ ,” Ignis began carefully, “ that Noctis would find it foolish to either of us to feel guilt for _that_. “ 

He smiled as he said it but Prompto could feel the sadness there, lurking behind the words. He felt it too. He nodded though, making a small noise of agreement. Noctis _would_ have at least been annoyed by the question. Why the hell would Noct have been upset? He’d want them happy or at least content otherwise he’d have to come back and fix things again. 

That he knew with confidence. 

“ Yeah,” Prompto agreed, “ he did all of that for the world – for us – it’d be a waste of his sacrifice to be guilty about having what he wanted us to. He’d come back and kick our asses personally if we wasted all that effort he put into things.”  
Ignis’s expression shifted into curiosity, as if he couldn’t puzzle out what the truth of it had to do with their budding conversation. 

“ You sound as if you’re going somewhere with this, love,” Ignis noted, his tone wary as if he were speaking to a man back in his early twenties and prone to selfies with incredibly dangerous monsters instead his nearly-mid-thirties-and-therefore-absolutely-responsible lover, “ care to share?” 

Prompto sat up, leaning on one elbow to lean closer, a cautious excitement prickling through him as he tried to figure out how to convince Ignis to agree to it, even if neither of them knew what ‘it’ was at that moment. After-all, he’d just been about to attempt and convince the man to stay in bed for some really-good-sex not twenty minutes before. If he could have done that once – and on a whim and in the vein of following his instincts – then he could do it again. 

“ We should be celebrate,” Prompto blurted out suddenly, anxiety and eagerness mixing, “ like, we could get stuff to make a proper Glacian’s Day meal and I’m sure we could scrounge up gifts. Not to mention there’s loads to do through the city – you know Lestallum, if it’s marketable they’re going to have some event for it-“ 

Ignis didn’t say anything, face going neutrally still as he listened. Prompto only hesitated slightly, noting the change in the other man’s expression to one of neither disdain or approval of the ideas he was hoisting into the air for Ignis to pick from. 

“ Or,” Prompto pushed on in determination, “or, we could go out and get a few good shots of the wildlife and maybe some of the town and maybe make a picnic of it – “ Prompto’s words stuttered as Ignis sighed lowly, a noise he’d come to associate with exasperation of perhaps bitten-back annoyance at someone. 

Prompto hated it when the noise was aimed at him deliberately. 

“ Prompto-“ Ignis attempted to interrupt. 

“ All I’m saying is that we should do something special – you know, be happy and all that noise the way people are meant to be on days like this-“ he gestured broadly towards the outside world of their hotel room, more animated in his explanation as he tried to figure out just what he was trying to say, and the bed jostled beneath them with the motion,”Besides, we can’t lay in bed any day and do nothing and call it a real holiday – Glacian’s Day is about-!” 

_”Prompto Argentum!”_

At Ignis’ raised voice, Prompto did stop, halted by the steel in Ignis’ voice. He held his breath almost in anticipation – this wasn’t their first holiday together – but it was the first one they’d potentially celebrated since the sun’s proper return to the sky. Infirnian’s Day seemed inappropriate and no one had been in the mood to celebrate the end of the war with Niflheim. Prompto pinched at the blanket, features twisted into guilt – that had been stupid of him. 

He should have let the subject drop and gotten out of bed and taken a shower or something. Instead he’d put the wrong foot forward and set a tension to everything. 

Ignis sat up, lips drawn into a thin, stern line as he regarded him. Prompto shifted slightly, feeling a bit like a school-boy who’d been brought to task by the teacher. Well, he thought with a quiet objection, by his incredibly hot tutor who had an accent that filled his dreams. Ignis’ hand abandoned Prompto’s and instead sought out Prompto’s face instead. 

Hands there were warm and calloused cupped his cheeks, thumbs drawing along his cheekbones soothingly a surprise. Ignis sighed, this time affection ringing in the noise along-side the frustration of the situation. Prompto thought he looked very pretty there, the cream sheets pooled around his hips, his body on an informal display. 

“ This was hardly an issue before Gladio called,” Ignus murmured, eyes moving across Prompto’s face as if trying to read him as they had in their early youth, “ what brought on this mood?” 

Prompto swallowed before tilting his face to lean into Ignis’ hands trustingly. The other man said nothing, simply waited, as he had ever since they’d met. He’d learned early on that Ignis was willing to wait for Prompto to get his thoughts together – that he preferred it, really. He never shifted impatiently or pestered him about it. He recognized Prompto had his flaws – just like Prompto recognized Ignis’. 

“ This is the first holiday we’ve gotten – and we aren’t even celebrating it,” he replied quietly, a flush of embarrassment washing across his cheeks and warming them, “ Noct would want us to celebrate it – to be happy – and I don’t wanna waste any chance I can to do that. “ He hesitated for just a moment, gaze darting over his lover’s face warily before adding softer, more tennatively though he knew there was no reason to be nervous, “I want this to be rememberable.” 

Ignis blinked in surprise, “ How do you mean?” 

Prompto sighed and closed his eyes. 

“ Y’know,” he muttered lamely, “ I want to be able to remember where we were today, ten years from now. I wanna be able to tell people about good holidays – and bad ones.” He wanted to be like it was years before, able to tell jokes and memories that let them be remembered, “ I don’t want to forget this – us – and how happy I am, not now or ever.” 

Ignis took in a sharp breath, as understanding washed over him – or at least that was what Prompto assumed. The way his eyebrows had climbed up his forehead was a little alarming at least. Prompto reached up, fingers curling around Ignis’ wrist gently, trying to get his point across as best he could. 

He felt silly saying it aloud. During the ten years that had passed in the dark, holidays had been nothing more than fancy names on a calendar where you wished people a good day and hoped that they say the beginning of the next. When the sun had risen – well, it had felt inappropriate to celebrate Infernian’s Day or the end of the war with Niflheim. Glacian’s Day was well and truly the first holiday that the world seemed to be breathing through with genuine cheer. 

“ Is that all?” Ignis asked curiously, “ I’d have thought you old enough by now to realize celebrating a holiday is not what makes the spirit or the memory of it.” 

Prompto groaned quietly and considered smothering himself in the pillow nearest to him. 

“ _Ignis_!” he complained quietly, “ Today should be special somehow. I _want_ it to be special – I want us to have a way to remember today and what it means. “ 

Prompto watched Ignis’ face as the man puzzled out his words. His features shifted from confusion to fond exasperation as he realized Prompto’s want. Then, he laughed, a short, breathy noise and he leaned forward to press a fairy-kiss – so light it might as well have been air – against his forehead in fondness. 

“ How _dare_ you assume I don’t find you special,” Ignis tutted, “ nor any day spent with you special. I ought to be rightly offended and thoroughly dress you down for such thoughts.” 

Prompto swallowed and opened his mouth to apologize, his pulse tapping rapidly in his throat and pounding in his chest. Years ago, he’d have already been apologizing – trying to pull away and fix things that’d he’d messed up in the most recent way. It had taken time, an embarrassing amount in his opinion, for Ignis to convince him that such things didn’t need to be apologized for. Even so, the impulse to do so danced upon a hair-pin trigger. 

“ _But,”_ Ignis continued, “ if it’s so important to you that we celebrate – I suppose I’m not at all opposed to beginning a new tradition of sorts. Would you like to hear my proposition?”

One of the man’s eyebrows rose as if in polite inquiry of permission. Prompto nodded, surprised still into silence. It was still amazing to him that Ignis could so fully silence him with a few words or a touch – at least keep him from speaking. His mind was plenty loud, awhirl with questions and wants and ideas of his own. Curiosity though, was the loudest of them all. 

“ My idea is simple – forgive me but I find them the easiest not to muck up,” Prompto snorted quietly in amusement, and raised his free hand to place over the back of one of the ones that still cupped his face as if he were something precious and fragile, “ there is a bottle of red wine in the kitchen – from a fine year if my memory serves –“ and Prompto knew that it rarely failed to serve him accurately, “ I propose that I go and fetch it and perhaps we indulge in a few glasses.” 

Prompto blinked in surprise. His brow furrowed as he frowned back at Ignis as he rolled the idea over in his head, “ Seems a little simple even for ‘simple’ don’t you think?” he asked and Ignis moved to kiss him, hushing him with a press of lips against his own. 

Prompto sighed against them and returned the kiss eagerly, moaning lowly and eagerly when the older man deepened it, one hand sliding down to grip his shoulder. He was helpless to do nothing but lean forward to try and continue the kiss when Ignis leaned away, his breath feathering over Prompto’s face and an amused quirk of lips at his noise of protest made Prompto want to roll him onto the bed and kiss him again and again. 

Just to see that smugness wiped away to make place for desire.

“ Let me finish,” Ignis huffed, chiding him, one hand gently gripping his chin to hold his head still, “ then, after some good wine and good conversation I’ll take you to bed – if we’ve even left it, mind you – “ Ignis moved then, pushing gently at his shoulder until Prompto lay flat on his back on the sheets, Ignis moving with the decisive confidence that had never truly waned, to straddle neatly across his hips, “-I’m going to lay you out just like this and explore every inch of you that brings me even an iota of joy.” 

He flattened his palms on Prompto’s shoulders, moving them downward to drag along his chest and over his chest teasingly. Prompto’s breath caught in his throat at the deliberately teasing touch, but he had no desire to unseat his lover who seemed quite happy to remain right where he was. 

“ What about dinner?’ His voice sounded breathy to his own ears, and he flushed deeper in embarrassment. Even after all the years they’d spent together, hearing himself in want of physical affection or even emotional still left him feeling like a kid making those moves on someone for the first time. 

Ignis licked his lips slowly, deliberately, and cocked his head to the side as he considered the question. His hands trailed lazily downwards, over the flat planes of his belly, and skating upwards along his ribs again before he gently scraped his nails down Prompto’s sides to rest against the rise of his hips teasingly. 

Prompto found his hands petting over Ignis’ thighs, enjoying the subtle flex of muscle under his hands and knew the power that could be found there. 

“ Mm,” Ignis’ hummed lazily, one hand graving below his navel through wiry blond hair that led a trail straight to his dick literally and in feeling, “ I’m sure I could prepare something that won’t make too much of a mess” 

Prompto groaned, unable to resist the response of rocking upwards against the weight of his lover in delight, just to feel the way Ignis planted himself more firmly on the mattress, licking his lips in a quick motion that had to be reflexive. Prompto felt a spark of smug delight, Prompto liked competency but Ignis had a thing for displays of skill and strength. 

Prompto swallowed and found his eyes glued to Ignis’ cock which was quickly growing more interested in their situation. Out of all the things he’d have guessed, Ignis being easy to rile up when he could was not something he’d have believed if he’d been told. 

Ignis grunted in when Prompto did it again, and the taller man failed to frown at him convincingly. It wasn’t helped that clever fingers traced a nonsense pattern against his skin in a deliberate return to distract him. 

“ Your opinion?” Ignis prompted as Prompto’s hand skated up one thigh to settle over a bruise that matched the size and shape of Prompto’s own fingers. He squeezed gently and Ignis’ moaned softly, a temptation and a treat. The hand that had remained on Prompto’s hip reached up to catch the hand on his own hip pointedly to stall anything more.

Prompto licked his lips and damned Ignis and his need of clear answers. 

“ So is the tradition drinking or is it sex? I’m confused.” 

Ignis smiled, soft, a look that Prompto couldn’t get tired of seeing on his face. 

“ The tradition is celebrating what Noctis gave us with his life,” Ignis explained gently, “ if not for him then I would not have met you. You made note that you wish to make the day memorable, and I wish to remember you in a way that no other can.” 

Ignis reached out, tracing one careful hand down the side of Prompto’s face, “ If that is to hear and have you in my bed, my heart and my life in ecstasy on at least one day the year than the Astrals will witness my seeing to it.” His thumb brushed over Prompto’s lips and he pressed a kiss to the digit softly. 

Ignis’ face was resolved as his tone, only a hint of sadness tinging the edges of it. Prompto felt his heart throb with love for the man perched atop him. 

“ Ignis..” he breathed, scared that if he spoke to loudly the moment would fall to ash on his tongue. 

“ There is one stipulation,” Ignis continued, and unease crept into his words, shoulders dropping from their sure square, voice gentling – and to Prompto he sounded far younger than he fairly should, “ I would be most honored if you did not ask me to share you on this day. I want..” he faltered for a moment before shoving onwards, “ I want one day to pretend that naught else exists save for us.” 

Prompto heard it in his words, in the unease that roiled in his tone and in his body-language, _’I want to be remembered too.’_

“ Yes,” Prompto whispered without a second’s hesitation, kissing the palm of Ignis’ hand, “ yes. You’ve got my heart in a vice-grip, Ignis, how could I deny you that?” he asked and smiled against the hand in his grip, pressing another kiss against it reflexively. 

Ignis made a low noise – of surprise or approval Prompto couldn’t discern. He didn’t care – how could he? Prompto tugged at the wrist, a quiet request, and Ignis leaned down to seal the promise with a kiss, slow and langued. His lover’s breath fanning over his face and the warmth of his life radiating between the two of them – a feeling as addicting as any drug on the market. 

When they pulled away, Prompto could only smile – relief and a giddy sort of joy bubbling like a spring up from his depths. 

“ Does this mean on our actual anniversary I get to see you dress up real pretty and take you out on the town and show you off to whoever’s there to see?” he asked eagerly with a waggle of his eyebrows that might have been enticing, had his lover been able to see it. 

Ignis sighed in fond exasperation and kissed him again. 

“ As if I have ever turned down a chance to establish myself at the top of the social pecking-order,” he drawled sarcastically, but Prompto could see the slightest flush of delight at the thought of dressing up and going out only to go wherever they called home and fucking as loud as they could, “ my very weakness. “ 

Prompto laughed silently. 

“ I love you Ignis,” he pointed out, because his lover deserved to hear it as often as he could. 

“ I have never stopped,” Ignis returned readily, perhaps a little smug – which wasn’t fair because Ignis had known why things had split now and then during the long ten years of darkness – but he let it go and tugged his lover back down. 

They sealed their fate with a kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> There we go! They love each other a hell of a fuckin' lot. I love them a heck of a lot. I hope you all are staying warm (or cool if you're in the southern hemisphere) this holiday season! I hope things are going well for you. That's it for me on this one - as always comments and kudos are absolutely loved.


End file.
